


Recovery and Improvement

by nagisa-sensei (komaedakibou)



Series: Hannor Week 2018 [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anxiety, Depression, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Role Reversal, With some Kara/Luther if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 18:14:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16938222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/komaedakibou/pseuds/nagisa-sensei
Summary: After feeling like the world was nothing but a bleak place, the last thing that Connor expected was that an android coming into his life would be what he needed to heal his wounds.





	Recovery and Improvement

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [ Hannor Week ](http://hannorweek.tumblr.com) on Tumblr. Day 1 - Role Reversal AU

Connor still remembered the first time that he had met Hank, as though it had only just happened. Even though so much time had passed, and even though nothing especially eventful occurred, it always managed to bring a smile to his face.

That was the day that marked his rebirth.

It was a memorable one, a day to be celebrated in the near distant future because it started the events that would eventually save his life.

It had been a gloomy day, devoid of sun and natural light. The streets gained their visibility from the streetlights and countless bright advertisements and storefront displays trying to gain the attention of people passing by.

Heavy rain pounded against the windows of the station. So much rain was falling that it blurred into a long, never-ending whirring noise, and he found himself calmed by its consistency. There was no yelling, no drama – just that noise in his ears, lulling him into a state of relaxation as his eyes lazily scanned the information on his terminal.

Connor loved the rain. It helped him work, both in that it helped him stay focused and also that it gave him a reason to stay indoors. The only thing that made him move on those days was his presence being needed at a crime scene, and nobody nagged at him for so clearly being a workaholic.

Fortunately for him, it was one of those days where he could just sit down and focus on his screen in peace and quiet. He’d been looking through reports of deviants when it happened, so absorbed in them that he hadn’t even heard anyone enter the room and sneak up on him.

“Good morning, Lieutenant. My name is Hank, I’m the android sent by CyberLife,” a gruff voice announced, monotone and lacking emotion. If he hadn’t announced he was an android, his voice alone would’ve alerted him to that fact. “I’ll be assisting you in your investigations from now on.”

The suddenness of it had startled Connor, causing him to jump comically in his seat with a face flushed in embarrassment.

It took him more than a few moments to compose himself as he checked to see if anyone had witnessed such a shameful display. Thankfully, it was just the two of them, and so he took an additional moment to himself in order to thank whoever had blessed him with such good fortune.

Then he slowly looked up through his lashes, willing his face to be completely neutral. The way Hank looked at him showed nothing aside from the fact that he was waiting expectantly for a reply.

“O-Oh,” Connor said, eloquently as always, of course, and took a good look at the older-looking model. White, longer than shoulder length hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail, a well-kept beard complimenting the features of his face quite nicely. It was unlike any other model he’d seen before… not that he went out of his way to look at android designs or anything. His knowledge on them in the most general sense was very lacking. “All right. Well, you can use the desk that’s opposite of mine.”

Hank nodded and took a seat as directed, settling himself in quickly as Connor immediately turned his attention back to what he was doing.

It took a minute to relocate where he left off. A HR400 model “Traci” bought and registered by the name of “Gavin” had reportedly been missing for the last two days. It was unknown if he was kidnapped or turned deviant and decided to leave, but it seemed the officers who followed up on it before it was passed onto him believed in the latter rather than the former.

It was one of many reports he’d been given in the last couple of days that had been similar – androids disappearing or wandering off when nobody was around.

Sorting through the information on his own was undeniably getting to him.

There were very visible bags under his eyes, which were bloodshot and oh so _tired looking_. Even his body trembled slightly, constantly vibrating but not noticeable unless someone was actually looking for it.

And it was all his fault, really.

Whenever the opportunity came forth, he would take on work with no regards to his own health. There was no debate over whether or not it was something he could handle, just a stern voice in his head telling him that he had to be able to. If he couldn’t, he was replaceable.

That wasn’t counting the fact that he found it very hard to say no to Markus.

Markus, who had such high hopes for him and his future.

Markus, who had an endless amount of faith in him.

Markus, who was looked up to by everyone and out of all the choices he had, decided to trust in _Connor_ and depend on him even though he did nothing to deserve it…

And to top it all off, Connor was incredibly _stubborn_.

There was no way that he would willingly admit that the work was too much for him. If he could push himself to do something, he would in a heartbeat, and the only thing in the world that could get in his way was the embrace of sweet lady death.

Keeping himself constantly busy was his main objective in life.

No longer did he yearn to do his job for the sake of doing his job and helping people – no, Connor was a selfish, broken man – and the only thing that appealed to him was the end.

Where everything led up to: death. It was the only thing for a man like him to look forward to, but he didn’t like to think about it. That endless abyss, that uncertainty… he didn’t want that on his mind, so he suffocated it with work, work, work.

The only time he went home was when he knew he would pass out the moment he got there. Home was too much of a lonely place, and he couldn’t trust himself there at all.

He’d much rather work himself to the bone and be seen as an extreme workaholic than to be seen for what he was. No, he didn’t want people to know _him_ , the real Connor, the coward and the weak him who had scars that would haunt him forever.

Sighing, he shook his head and did his best to stop that line of thought and busied himself with reading once again.

It didn’t work.

About ten reports later, he found himself staring the spinning yellow LED on Hank’s temple, his thoughts turning toward androids. At least it wasn’t as depressing of a thought.

Honestly, Connor didn’t really have an opinion on androids.

He was not one to be swayed by the masses, so the protests he often walked by did nothing to change his view. The people who spoke highly in favour of them didn’t either, purely because he had nothing to compare it to.

None of them had done wrong by him and he never interacted with them. For him, it felt like they were part of a whole other world to him, he who buried himself in work so he didn’t _have_ to think about anything else.

That didn’t mean that he didn’t acknowledge what was happening in the world around him, though. He knew that there were bad androids, especially after going through a few of the newest deviant-related cases. The new ones – meaning the ones inserted into the system in the last few hours – were very different: androids killing and/or seriously injuring their owners, androids stealing from their owners or businesses in broad daylight, androids suddenly walking away...

Not all of them were bad.

A vast majority of them were operating as they normally should. The virus, or whatever it was affecting them, was spreading rather quickly… but that just lead him to believe that there were a lot of deviants not even doing anything ‘wrong’, even though they could easily overpower humans.

…But it didn’t really matter to him if they were androids or not. Over time, he’d learned to just not expect much of anyone – human or android – because he was better off all by himself, and so he remained blissfully indifferent to their existence.

Being assigned to the deviant cases was going to end that, however. There was no way for him to remain distanced from them any longer, especially not when his new working partner was an android himself.

Starting from that day, his life would begin to revolve around them whether he liked it or not.

At least now he’d be able to see and experience life with an android, he thought, absentmindedly drumming his fingers against his desk lightly. It didn’t take long for it to capture Hank’s attention, though, his LED going blue before they locked eyes.

Grey eyes reeled him in, making him wonder why they decided to choose such a colour. Did they want him to be unique? Were there humans that could somehow have them that shade? It wasn’t something he’d seen before, but it was… nice.

They made so many strange design choices when it came to Hank, he thought.

“There are a lot of cases that you’re assigned to, Lieutenant,” Hank said eventually, in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. “There are exactly twenty-two deviant related cases and almost as many non-deviant related cases. Are you sure you’re going to be able to handle your workload?”

Connor felt a wave of annoyance immediately wash over him. It took everything that he had to stop himself from showing it on his face, averting his eyes from the android the moment he felt it.

“…I like to work,” he said simply, perhaps a bit _too_ defensively even if it wasn’t entirely untrue. Moving on quickly, he left no room for a counter argument. “Markus only assigns me with what I can handle, so it’s none of your concern. It won’t get in the way of our work together in the deviant cases.”

Hank’s LED flashed yellow for a few agonising seconds, making him panic. A million thoughts seemed to flash through his mind: what was he processing? Was he requesting someone for information? What could it be?

He was sure that that’s what the yellow meant and he was _not_ prepared to have an argument with an android…

“Okay.” Hank replied, and then blinked twice. “Are you okay, Lieutenant? Your heart rate seemed to spike up to an alarming amount and I cannot discern why.”

Silence fell over them for a few seconds, the LED _still_ yellow. It made him way too nervous; even though the android didn’t seem to want to argue with him about it – something he was thankful for, despite everything – the fact that it was still yellow just… made him want to scream.

_Why was he still processing something…?_

“I… I’m okay. Don’t worry about it.”

It was agonising to have to wait through the silence. Of course, he knew that his response wasn’t convincing in any way whatsoever. There were no other excuses he could think of.

“Lieutenant, there’s been a homicide reported close to here. Considering the large amount of work that you have to do, I suggest we head over there immediately to get it out of the way. If you like, I can also assist you with your other cases when we return.”

Letting out a breath that he didn’t know he was holding, his hand sought out the lucky coin in his pocket. It calmed him down quickly – the coolness alone against the pads of his fingers was enough to settle him, as per usual – but he… really wasn’t prepared.

It was the first time that he’d directly talked to an android, let alone been in a room with one. It felt strange and he didn’t know what to do or what was expected of him at all.

So he tried to act natural, like he was just talking to a human.

“Ah…” he licked his lips, suddenly noticing how dry they had become from his nerves. “Yeah, all right. We’ll go to the scene now, but I don’t… I don’t need help with any of the other stuff, okay? Just leave it to me.”

Connor wasn’t exactly good at talking to humans either, unless it was at a crime scene, he realised. They were unpredictable and hard to read.

Thankfully, Hank just nodded in agreement and off they went.

 

~

 

Ever since their first meeting, Hank seemed to gradually squeeze himself into Connor’s life as much as he possibly could. Over time, Connor even started to genuinely believe that the android _cared_ about him, completely forgetting what an android was _supposed_ to be like.

The thing is, Connor really didn’t have anything to compare it to. Hank was nice enough, though as they grew closer, he seemed to have a lot to complain about as well as a colourful vocabulary. One thing he was sure of was that CyberLife certainly wouldn’t have programmed their androids to swear as much as his partner did.

A big topic between the two of them was Connor’s health. Even though it had nothing to do with him, nothing to do with what he was _created_ to do, without fail Hank would stop him from doing unhealthy things.

First, it started off as offhand comments thrown into casual conversation. It wasn’t very noticeable, and was implemented so subtly that Connor himself didn’t even pick up on it.

Not until a few months later, at least, when the only word he could use to describe what he was doing was _nagging._

Connor was officially being nagged at by his android partner to not drink so much coffee.

‘ _Sleeping a healthy eight or so hours would do you wonders, Lieutenant. Then you wouldn’t come in here dragging your feet and about to pass out from exhaustion every day.’_ Hank said just about every other day. _‘You stay here late, don’t sleep well, and then come in early with a coffee. Don’t you think it’s time to reevaluate your health?’_

It was hard not to connect the dots when he was hearing that every day for weeks, which helped him pick up on the other things. The disapproving looks when he drank coffee and ate cupcakes in the break room. The way that Hank touched his hand every now and then and his LED would turn yellow, either resulting in a small frown or a nod once it returned to blue.

The one day he drank an energy drink instead of a coffee would have told him if he hadn’t found it out already – the disapproving look he’d gotten made him so much more shame than he thought he was even capable of. He swore then and there to never do it again.

Hank was watching out for him as much as he possibly could, and it made him feel bad for giving in to his guilty pleasures.

He started drinking coffee less.

It was difficult to be annoyed about it, too.

After so long of nobody really taking the time to care about what he was doing, having someone – even if that someone was an android who might not even care and could’ve just been worried about him compromising missions – that clearly cared about his well being was… nice.

It was more than nice. It made him feel things he hadn’t felt in a long time, made him want to better himself so he wasn’t a disappointment.

Even Markus seemed to notice that there was a change in him.

The more that he fixed his bad habits, the less stressed he became and the more he realised just how much he’d been drowning himself in work. Even though it was much easier for him to do, he began to yearn for freedom.

A freedom that gave him time to reflect on all he had done, and what led him to where he was. Although it terrified him, he wanted to know.

With a small smile, Markus put his foot down and refused to give Connor any cases not directly related to deviants.

It both filled him with relief and an intense fear.

He wasn’t ready. What if he hurt himself? What if he realised that he actually was a hopeless case? He wasn’t prepared to see where that path of thought would take him, not when he was finally starting to make some progress.

So he continued asking, despite not wanting to.

Again and again, he’d return to Markus and beg, not even sure why he bothered. Connor begged for _more work, more distractions, and more time to remain blissfully ignorant-!_

Markus continued to say _no._

The dread seemed to course through his veins instead of blood. He yearned for coffee, to stuff his face with sweets, to even perhaps drown his sorrows in alcohol even if he’d never touched the stuff before in his entire life.

And the worst part was that he didn’t even know _why_ he had such strong urges to completely destroy himself.

Perhaps it was boredom. A desire to break out of his usual routine and become someone else.

Once upon a time, he was known as a great police officer. He was set on improving the world, starting with Detroit, and he wanted to make an impact that would better everyone’s lives. He was sick of all the hurt people suffered so he did something about it.

Now he couldn’t even genuinely smile because he saw how _horrible_ people could be. How they treated their families behind closed doors, how they treated their friends, how they treated complete strangers.

A lot of them were disgusting and made him lose his hope in humanity.

After so many reports of the awful things humans did, he became numb to it all. He detached himself from everyone, fearful of what they would do to him if they knew anything about him.

He didn’t trust anyone and he was so very _sad_.

“Lieutenant,” Hank spoke up suddenly from his desk, looking over at Connor with something akin to concern. “I hear you’ve been asking the Captain for more work. You really shouldn’t be doing that, especially since your health has been improving so much.”

Eyes slowly moving to train on Hank, he didn’t really feel much of anything as he grunted in reply. Honestly, that was the worst time for him to be bringing anything like that up.

“Yeah, yeah,” he dismissed the android with mild irritation and a wave of his hand, deciding that was the best thing to do with how the other had been looking at him expectantly. “Markus won’t give me anything no matter how much I ask. He just wants me to focus on the deviant cases.”

Hank nodded, seemingly happy with that development… and with what looked like a _smirk_ on his face. Even if androids weren’t supposed to _feel_ anything.

“That’s good.”

_Good…?_

It wasn’t ‘good’ when it made him go home early, leaving him to his own miserable devices. As much as he was improving, it meant he had much less to do. It gave him time to think about how useless he had become.

Connor was _depressed_.

“Can I suggest something?” Hank prompted, changing to a more ‘formal’ tone in response to Connor so obviously beginning to panic. Holding his coin tightly in his hand, he simply nodded in confirmation. “Perhaps what you need is a companion, something or someone to take care of at home. You should take a day off and weigh your options.”

It was an understatement to say that he was surprised by the suggestion. Somehow, Hank had hit the nail on its head, bringing up the root of his workaholic nature.

_His loneliness._

His need to be helpful, useful, to have a _purpose_ in life.

A reason to go home. A reason to work. A reason to take care of himself. A reason to continue living without the crippling depression consuming him and destroying him completely.

But he really didn’t want to actually admit that there was something wrong, no matter how obvious it seemed to him. Saying it out loud made it too real much too quickly and he’d prefer to pretend that the way he was living wasn’t eating him up inside.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea…” he muttered, both insecure and nervous. Taking an entire day off would probably drive him mad. “What would you do if I took the day off?” It was the only excuse he could think of that might make Hank rethink his suggestion, his coin now moving through his fingers idly. “I’d rather stay here and get work done.”

Hank wasn’t taking the bait. No, he was just giving him one of those disapproving looks that he’d become so used to seeing… and Connor was weak to it.

He could feel himself relenting, if only to wipe that look off his face. If it made the android happy, he found that there was little that he wouldn’t do.

“I’ll come with you.”

It was said with a warmth that no human had ever spoken to him with. There was so much care in the words that there was no way that he could possibly refuse, no matter how much his brain screamed at him to do so.

“I… I don’t…”

He didn’t even know what he was going to say. It was certainly not going to be a rejection, not when Hank was looking at him so hopefully.

“It’s fine, Lieutenant. I can easily search for nearby locations for us to visit and sort them through their convenience and positive reviews, all while keeping you company. It would be my pleasure to help you and spend time with you outside of work,” he said it far too quickly and easily, but then seemed to catch himself and look away. “…It would be my pleasure… if you allow it.”

Hank had the nerve to even look _flustered_ , even if an android shouldn’t be able to do that. Even without a blush, the way he spoke and couldn’t look him in the eye so suddenly when it hasn’t been an issue before.

It seemed like even Hank thought that he might be getting carried away or stepping over a line. Which he was – or he _should_ have been – but all Connor could do was look away as well as his face heated up against his will.

At least the other wouldn’t see it, he supposed.

If someone would have told him that he’d have an android as the closest thing to a friend he’d ever had, he definitely wouldn’t have believed it.

Yet there he was, being convinced by his very android working partner to take a day off in order to take care of himself. It would be the first time that they spent time with each other outside of work, and it was already making him anxious.

Kara perked up from her desk not too far away from them, a warm smile on her face as she took a sip of what was undoubtedly hot chocolate. He knew she meant well; she was sweet and cared about everyone, that much was obvious, but he wasn’t sure how to deal with it.

“You should do it, Connor,” she said, unmasked concern in her voice. “It’ll be good for you and it’ll make Markus happy if you took a day off, too.”

He whined, dropping his head on his desk with a loud thud.

Kara giggled.

“Can’t believe I’m being teamed up on and manipulated into taking a break… I don’t wanna…” he muttered to his desk, groaning loudly. “I just want to work in peace…”

The coolness of his desk was helping him calm down, though. His face finally no longer felt like it was going to melt right off from how much it had been heating up.

“There’s no need for melodrama, Lieutenant.”

Kara giggled a bit louder. It was enough to make Luther look over, his mouth opening as though he wanted to say something but closing it in favour of smiling at her fondly.

As he glanced up from his position, he was barely able to see the strange look that was on Hank’s face. It showed such a wide range of emotions that he couldn’t even begin to understand them, but he thought… that it was a fond look.

“Geez, fine…” he sighed and conceded, fully raising his head back up. “I’ll take the day off… _if_ it’s a slow day and I’ve done enough work.”

Hank smiled for the first time, and Connor couldn’t deny the fact that he was so obviously proud.

 

~

 

Kara and Hank started to team up on him more often, one of them making suggestions of things he should do, the other encouraging them. Even though Hank spent most of his time with Connor, he’d somehow gotten a lot closer to Kara.

It was something he’d gotten used to, but it wasn’t until they hit a topic that actually got a reaction out of him that wasn’t incoherent babbling or spluttering that he realised just how screwed he was.

“Connor,” Kara said one day, disapprovingly. The way that she said told him that he’d regret it if he didn’t immediately walk away, but he didn’t. “Connor, get that pen out of your mouth.”

His first response was to look at her with his pen still in his mouth, take it out and then lick it suggestively. She scrunched her face up in response, letting out a small noise that sounded like _bleh_.

When he didn’t say any words, for some reason Hank decided to encourage her.

“The Lieutenant saw me analysing some blue blood with my tongue and wanted to try it out straight away, of course. I feel _very_ concerned about his well-being since this seems to be an ongoing habit of his…” Hank paused for just a moment, looking him straight in the eye and speaking soft enough that he wasn’t sure Kara could hear him. “How often do you put things in your mouth exactly, Connor?”

Connor thought he was going to die then and there, without question. Eyes wide, he inhaled deep enough to trigger a coughing fit. Why the hell would Hank…?

Kara was silent, seemingly not hearing the last little addition from Hank. It seemed like she was about to laugh and dismiss it as a joke for a moment, but then she looked between the two of them a few more times before her tentative smile dropped into a frown.

“Connor, no…” she said softly, shaking her head. “Thirium could _kill_ you if you consume it! I hope you didn’t let him…!”

Hank gave her a _look_ , to which she fell silent once again and calmed down.

“Uh,” Connor spoke up, ready to defend himself. He certainly was notorious for putting strange things in his mouth, but he wasn’t about to commit suicide. Not with Hank around, anyway, and not because he _ate something weird_. “I didn’t do it.”

Shaking her head more, Kara was clearly not amused.

“Hank, take that pen off of him before he licks the ink or something. I don’t trust this boy one bit, but I trust you to take care of him.”

Hank nodded, wasting no time and immediately getting up and walking over to his desk.

“Don’t you _dare_ take my pen,” he threatened, taking the pen out of his mouth to cradle it against his chest protectively. He was ready to scream, pushing his chair as far away from the android closing in as he possibly could. “It’s mine. You can’t have it. I promise I won’t put it in my mouth again.”

“You’re lying, Lieutenant,” Hank replied without missing a beat, relentless in his attack. “I’m afraid you can’t be trusted.”

“Hank,” he warned, trying to think of a way out, _anything_ he could use to slow down the pursuit. “I won’t go on a break if you take my pen. I’ll work myself to death. You don’t want that, do you?”

The androids LED turned yellow for a moment as he considered the threat, stopping in his tracks.

“I’ve concluded that even if I take your pen, you’ll agree to go on a break eventually. You typically back down easily if someone is consistently firm with you, which I intend to be.”

“W-Wait, what…” Connor did have a chance to protest further before Hank was right in front of him, the pads of his fingers lightly brushing under his arms and on the sides of his stomach, making him laugh so much that he ended up dropping the pen himself. “No! N-No fair!”

Kara was likely encouraging the android, but whatever she was saying was nothing more than a buzz to him as he switched between whining and begging for mercy. He clung to Hank’s jacket as tears began to form in his eyes, afraid that he’d fall out of his seat if he didn’t.

“Hank…” he whined, out of breath as he looked up at him through his lashes. “Please…!”

The android stopped abruptly, though the look on his face didn’t change. There was no emotion to be seen as he leaned down to pick up Connor’s pen off the floor.

“Mission successful,” he said, but there was definitely amusement in his voice. Turning to Kara, he finally allowed himself to smirk. “What should I do with this pen?”

Trying to catch his breath, he could do nothing more than watch the two of them debate over what Hank should do with it to stop him from putting it in his mouth. The weight of defeat had already settled over him, making him pout as he stared at the two of them sadly.

“Keep it as a memento,” Kara suggested first, before smirking in what Connor could only explain as ‘evilly’. “Actually, who knows what he’s had in his mouth before that pen… maybe you should just throw it in the bin?”

Somehow, he pouted even _more_.

“No!” he exclaimed, desperate. “I won’t take you with me when I have my day off!”

Connor barely heard Hank chuckle, his eyes going wide as he looked at him in wonder. Of course, he expected _some_ kind of reaction… but he was not at all expecting how _nice_ it sounded when he laughed. It wasn’t fair that an android could throw him off and hit all his weak points so easily…

But then Hank looked back at him, the smile on his face slowly fading.

Then he held the pen up in front of Connor’s face, taunting him. The moment that he tried to quickly snatch it the android moved it out of his reach, of course, but it didn’t stop him from trying as Hank returned to his seat.

A whine was building up within him, loud and exaggerated.

He just couldn’t win.

Before he could even begin to complain and try to get Kara to feel bad for treating him that way, the door to Markus’ room opened and he appeared with an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

“Been pretty loud out here,” he commented, though it was in good humour. “I see you’re disturbing everyone, Connor,” he teased lightly, his face so serious that anyone who didn’t know him well wouldn’t have noticed he was joking. “Looks like I’m going to have to kick you out of the office for a day since you’re so disruptive, huh?”

“No…?” Looking at Markus, he attempted to use puppy dog eyes to sway the man’s decision. “I’d like to stay at work, please.”

“ _Connor…”_

Sighing, he already started packing up his stuff. When Markus made a decision, he was extremely hard to sway, and he looked like a man on a mission. The worry evident in his eyes only made him feel guilty for somehow suddenly making everyone so concerned about him.

“Do it!” Kara yelled happily, a much too huge smile on his face. What an enabler. “Take him somewhere fun, Hank! Go to the park and roll in the grass! Go to a pet store and adopt all the things! Catch the bus and go somewhere random!”

Markus clasped Connor’s shoulder, patting it.

“I know how you feel, Connor, but you’ve been working so much lately that we’ve all been worried about you,” Markus said, gesturing to the others in the room. “So it’ll be good for you to go somewhere with Hank here and let yourself relax. It’s only one day.”

Even though he had already given in, the tone that Markus used was what he needed to really believe that the break was something that would benefit him. Not only that, but it would make the others feel better…

“Okay, Captain,” he sighed, finishing up and turning his terminal off. Making the best attempt that he could at clearing his mind, he hoisted himself to his feet. “I’m sorry I made you worry.”

Markus just smiled, kindly gesturing to the door. As he stepped away, he was sure he heard him whisper something along the lines of ‘ _take care of him_ ’ to Hank before they were out and standing uselessly on the side of the road.

Standing there, he looked around in confusion. Once outside, he was expecting the hustle and bustle of the city to overwhelm him, but for midday it was really quiet. There were only two androids working on something on the other side of the road, and that hardly counted as activity that would disturb him.

The sky looked bleak and there were heavy looking grey clouds rolling in from the horizon, but other than that it looked like it was a nice day. Not that he’d know anything about nice days since he spent such a large majority of his time indoors.

“Um,” Connor muttered, his coin already in his hand to keep him occupied. “What are we going to do exactly, Hank?”

After all the things Kara had ‘suggested’, he really couldn’t think of what _Hank_ wanted him to do. Perhaps they’d talked about it, and one of them was correct? When the android had first brought up him taking a break, he _did_ mention something about getting a companion…

Well, either way, he’d already eaten so it would have nothing to do with food. Somewhere like a restaurant or café would have been the last places he’d ever want to go with anyone.

Even if they looked at possible companions, whatever that might entail, he had no intention of getting anything. He could barely take care of himself, let alone anyone else. There’s no way he’d want someone else to suffer just because he couldn’t get out of his slump.

He’d seen how people treat their family, and their androids, and their pets just because they had problems. It wasn’t fair.

It made him sick.

“I think we should go to your home so you can change out of your uniform,” Hank said in way that told him instantly that he had absolutely no choice in the matter. The android had made up his mind and wasn’t taking no for an answer. “There’s somewhere I want to take you and your uniform would get dirty, so you should wear clothes you won’t be wearing again anytime soon. “

Raising an eyebrow, he made a mental checklist of things he thought they might be doing. Needing a change of clothes crossed out most of the items on it.

But then he realised that yes, changing means going _home_.

There wasn’t anything that he had against taking the android to his home, but the thought of his neighbours made him hesitate. A lot of them didn’t have the best opinion on androids, some of them even going out of their way to shout and walk through anti-android protests.

He didn’t talk to them, so he had no idea how they’d react to one near their home. If they pushed and swore at androids working on the streets, what would they do to Hank if they saw him?

Connor did not want to find out.

There was no way he’d _ever_ forgive himself if something happened to Hank all because the android wanted him to take some time off work to relax.

Plus, he didn’t even want to go home in the first place! It seemed to always make him incredibly depressed the moment he walked through the threshold – more so than usual, anyway – and he didn’t want to showcase just how much of a mess he really was.

He had no idea how to say no, to beg for Hank to find something else for them to do.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea…” he tried, his voice lowering and threatening to break. “I don’t know how my neighbours would react if they saw you.”

Hank frowned.

The silence between them seemed to drag on, the android opening and closing his mouth as though he didn’t know if he should comment.

Which made Connor nervous, of course, because he didn’t know what he said wrong. The other man had never reacted in such a way before, so all he could really do was wait it out and see if he’d tell him before it ate away at his mind.

It didn’t help that he couldn’t even see the android’s LED from the angle he was standing at. Was it yellow? Was there just something he really needed to think about? …Why?

Before long and with an even deeper frown, he turned to face Connor properly.

“…Are you ashamed of me, Lieutenant?”

Connor gulped.

There was a degree of vulnerability in those words, in the tone he used, and to top it all off… the lingering sadness in the look that he was given. It seemed like the android already believed it, already thought that he wasn’t wanted.

He didn’t like it.

No, he was definitely not ashamed of Hank at all, and he hadn’t even realised that his words could be interpreted that way when he said them.

“No!” He said quickly, but with confidence. “I’m not ashamed of you at all! I just live… in a neighbourhood where quite a few people don’t think very highly of androids. I don’t want you to get hurt just because of _assholes_ who live near me.”

It looked like Hank deflated as he began to relax, his LED turning yellow.

The sadness on his face turned to relief, then confusion, and then he quickly averted his gaze so that his face was no longer visible.

“…Right. Sorry for jumping to conclusions,” Hank said, his own voice sounding much softer than he’d ever heard it before. “I should have known that you were concerned for my safety.”

“Of course! I care about you…” he trailed off, dropping his coin safely into his pocket and covering his mouth with a hand. “So, don’t think I’m ashamed of you or anything. Ever.”

The android’s stance seemed to stiffen as they stood there, an eerie feeling looming over them so suddenly. It felt suffocating. It threatened to consume him whole if he didn’t say anything more.

“Don’t worry, I don’t feel pain.” The other said before he could think of anything, his words just as heavy and gloomy as what was threatening to suffocate him. “I’m not alive.”

For reasons that he couldn’t even begin to comprehend, he became extremely angry.

The thought of Hank not being alive was one he just couldn’t agree with. Not with how expressive he was, not after all that he had seen after just a few months together.

“That’s not true.”

Hank scoffed, a twisted smile on his face as they made eye contact once again. He probably didn’t even realise he was doing it.

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but it is, Lieutenant.” Even Hank sounded angry now, his fist clearly clenched at his side. It was such a human reaction to have. There were such human features on his face. Connor’s heart ached for him. “I’m not programmed to feel pain, or any other emotion. I’m an _android_ and _androids aren’t alive._ ”

There was nothing the android could say to change his mind, though. Without noticing, he’d already made up his mind about the other a long time ago; the first time he saw his disappointed face and started drinking coffee less, he knew.

“Over the past few months, you’ve shown me that you’re more human than most of the people that I know!” He desperately grasped for the words he wanted to say, the meaning he wanted to convey with them. “I lost all hope in humanity and didn’t trust anyone, then you came along and…” he moved closer, wanting to reach out but not having the courage to do it. “You saved me. You’ve been helping me grow to be a better person. You became friends with Kara and because of that, I did too. Heck, you even convinced me to leave work to relax and that’s something I’ve never done before in my life. I can clearly see that you… you’ve been feeling emotions that have guided you to doing these things.”

Hank shook his head, firmly rooted in denial. His LED flashed to red for a brief moment before settling on yellow once again.

He could only hope that it meant that he was actually taking in what he was saying. It was so difficult for him to talk so emotionally, to let his thoughts be known out in the open when he wasn’t used to telling them at all.

He felt like he wanted to cry.

“I’m doing all of this… because it’s vital to achieving my goal, don’t you understand? Those are the traits of deviants, and I was programmed to _stop_ deviants. I’ve just determined that these actions have been appropriate steps to ensuring that my mission is successful.”

It was clear that neither of them believed what he said, but he decided not to push the topic any more than he already had.

Even that knowledge didn’t stop the words from hurting him, though.

“…O-okay, Hank,” he replied, and his voice definitely did not crack under the pressure of his emotions. “Let’s just… we’ll go to my place, then wherever you want me to go.”

Absolutely not wanting to talk anymore, he headed straight for his car and had to stop himself from turning around to see if he was being followed. It felt like his heart had been stabbed, those words being a knife that could pierce it so easily.

Even if he didn’t believe them, it hurt so much.

The heaviness of the air inside his car was even worse than it was outside, and Hank hadn’t even gotten in yet. He sat there for who knew how long, lost in the abyss of his own mind before one of the doors opened and he looked up hopefully.

For some reason, Hank decided to sit in the back seat.

With how their conversation had gone, he definitely couldn’t blame him for keeping his distance. If what the android needed was time and space in order to think it over and process everything, he was at least glad that he had something else to focus on or else it’d probably drive him mad.

All he wanted to do was find out what the other really thought of him. Of everything they’d been through, and if he was imagining it all.

Giving Hank time to think gave him time to really think about what he’d said as well.

The words had fallen so easily from his mouth that he hadn’t fully realised the weight that they held. If the was right – if Hank was actually feeling things and wasn’t just doing it all to ensure he got results – then it meant that he was technically a deviant, or was at least on the path of deviancy.

After all the cases they’d been on, they hadn’t gotten any closer to figuring out what deviancy was. The few deviant androids that they’d spoken to seemed to just reach a point where enough was enough, so they broke free of their programming for a variety of reasons.

All of them seemed to lead back to one thing – they were being mistreated by the humans around them.

Could an android turn deviant without such a catalyst, or did it only seem like that was the cause due to the nature of their job? Just how many deviants were out there doing nothing but blending in with humans, never hurting anyone?

There was just no way to tell.

Nobody was there to answer their questions, and nobody knew as little about androids as Connor did. Even with one close by all the time, he’d learned barely anything aside from common things he needed to know.

The closest answers he had were ones from Hank, and the android refused to be honest with him.

Theoretically, if he _were_ to become a deviant, it wouldn’t change his opinion of his partner anyway. He honestly couldn’t care less if he was one or not. Hank was important to him, so it just didn’t seem relevant; Hank was Hank, and that was why he loved having the android around all the time.

…Aside from right then and there, since he didn’t know where he stood with the other, but that was on him. Of course, they wouldn’t be able to just go back to everything being fine after the huge bomb he’d practically dropped on him.

But he didn’t regret it. In fact, it made him feel a sense of relief that he couldn’t really understand.

With those thoughts in mind, it wasn’t long before the familiar houses of his neighbours came into view. Getting out the remote for his garage doors, he decided to be as quick as he possibly could so they could get to actually doing something and maybe ease up.

Once they were in, he made sure to close the doors before they got out. That way, at least his nosey neighbours wouldn’t see that he’d just rolled in during work hours with a mysterious android.

“I’ll try not to take too long…” he said gently, not sure if the sound of his own voice was welcome. It felt wrong to speak, like his words were yet another knife piercing into something. “Um. You can come in, if you want? It’s not very interesting, but it’s better than staying in my car.”

God, he was a mess.

Hank seemed to contemplate his options for a few moments. Then he abruptly nodded, got out, and followed his awkward human partner into his lifeless home.

“Take your time,” the android replied, the tone of his voice sounding much more annoyed than it was encouraging. “Remember to make sure you put on clothes you won’t wear anytime soon.”

Connor nodded, not sure what the make of such a response. Then, after realising that he wasn’t even being looked at, bit back a sigh before giving verbal acknowledgement.

“Mm-hm…” he hummed, loitering near the closest door frame. Anxiety seemed to hit him in a relentless wave as he frantically looked around his home, only just noticing how concerning it must look to anyone who knew him. “Make yourself at home.”

The words sounded so fake.

Honestly, he wanted to make a good impression… but his house was remarkably devoid of any life whatsoever that it seemed like nobody lived in it at all. There was nothing to mark it as his, no signs of Connor within it aside from the bedroom.

Even that didn’t have much in it. Just a drawer filled with the few outfits he wore and an extremely rumpled bed that he never bothered making.

There wasn’t anything ‘homely’ about it.

Heart pounding, he had to push down all of the negative thoughts that surfaced as he made his way down the hall to his room.

 _This_ was why he didn’t trust himself. There was something about the atmosphere that just screamed at him, shoving all of his fears and anxieties down his throat where he couldn’t hope to ignore them. It invading his mind and ate away at his sanity, reminding him how useless he was.

It made him want to run away or do something that he’d probably regret. The only thing stopping him from doing either one right at that moment was knowing that Hank was there as well.

Taking deep breaths, he sat himself down on the edge of his bed and resisted the urges trying to break free. All he had to do was calm down, put his uniform away and then change into something he didn’t care too much about.

It was simple.

Change clothes, then leave.

It was simple.

Once they left, he could forget about what was waiting for him at home when he came back by himself.

It was simple, so what was stopping him?

Jumping to his feet, he knew he had to go back to where Hank could see him as soon as possible. Getting changed, he neatly folded his uniform and then put on the first long-sleeved shirt and pair of jeans he saw and left his room without a second thought.

When the living room once again greeted him, he was given the sight of Hank scanning every inch of his living room with intrigue.

It wasn’t a routine scan that he noticed the android did just after they first met – slowly, he would slightly move his head from left to right as he took in his surroundings – but a purposeful one that had him physically moving around to see every detail closely.

The android was frowning at his couch, standing before it like he felt lost.

“Lieutenant,” he said, turning to look at Connor as he moved closer. “You don’t use this area of the house? There are no signs of use in here.”

The question caught him off guard, but it also seemed to lessen the tension between them somehow.

It showed him that nothing had been affected by their argument earlier. Hank still cared about him and was curious about his life. The lifted weight was so relieving it almost made him _smile_.

“I only really come here to sleep…” he explained slowly, rubbing his hands together as he wondered what he could say other than the truth. There was nothing, and he didn’t want to lie to the android in the first place. Not that he could have lied in the first place, given the fact that the android had literally scanned the room. “So, uh… nope, I don’t.”

The android looked at him in concern, frowning in the way that clearly showed his extreme disapproval as they stared at each other.

And then his LED turned yellow.

It was like a switch had been flipped. The relief he’d felt was completely forgotten as a wave of nerves strong enough to make him tremble hit him like a tonne of bricks.

Such a drastic change left him standing there, staring with his eyes wide and his hands noticeably shaking. The way it caught him off guard each time he saw it during their conversations made him desperately wish he could get used to it, but he could at least allow himself to be glad that the android was likely too preoccupied to notice.

There was just no way to know what kind of response he was about to get, the possibilities endless and a lot of them were scary.

How much could he do before Hank began to despise him, or grow tired of him? Did androids get sick of people? Was his behaviour the kind of thing that made them become deviant and realise how unfair the world was?

All he knew was that he didn’t want to lose Hank.

Especially not over something like him hating being at home, or him wanting to work all the time, or his stupid habit of making unhealthy decisions.

Hank looked up at him then, narrowing his eyes and suddenly closing the distance between them in one fell swoop.

It was done so suddenly that he didn’t even have time to take it in or react. All he could do was stand there and ignore the way his heart sped up and the fact that he was holding his breath. A small whimper-like noise was the only sound that managed to come out of him in lieu of the words on the tip of his tongue.

 _Do you hate me?_ Connor wanted to ask, even if the question seemed stupid even to him. _Will you give up on me already?_

There was no expression on Hank’s face, though. If the android hated him, he thought it would be obvious. With how expressive and straightforward he was, there was no doubt that he’d blatantly tell him such.

“…Calm down,” the android muttered, taking the human’s hand into his and rubbing it soothingly with his thumb. “I don’t know what’s wrong but I don’t want you to feel bad or sad. It’s supposed to be your time to relax.”

Somehow, even if it was clear that Hank had no idea what to say, he always managed to both drive him crazy and then calm him right back down in a heartbeat. It was his fault for being so pessimistic, he _knew_ that, but still…

The fact that he could be brought back to a state of calm was a miracle in itself.

No matter what he tried to do in the past, he never managed to find a way to bring himself back from a depressive episode.

Maybe he was lonelier than he thought.

Without a thought, he fully closed the rest of the distance between them and pressed himself against the android’s chest. If he were more daring he would have made it a proper hug, but he didn’t want to push his luck.

Even so, it was comforting to be close to someone.

Closing his eyes, he cautiously raised his hands and loosely held onto the fabric of the other’s jacket to ground himself.

Then, with a deep breath, he admitted something he never thought he’d have the courage to say out loud, because it was _Hank_.

“I’m scared that I’ll hurt myself if I’m alone,” he said softly, biting his lip. “That’s why I don’t come here… I don’t want to do anything that I’ll regret.”

This time, there was no silence between them.

“Lieutenant…” Hank replied, his own hands slowly raising from his sides. They hovered for a moment before one settled on his shoulder and the other gently patted his hair. “It’s okay, I’m here.”

 _You’re not alone when I’m here_.

The words weren’t said, but the message went to him loud and clear and he believed it. For once, he _believed_ in someone and didn’t feel the need to question them.

They stood there for what felt like an eternity before he forced himself to move away, face flushed and slightly wet from the few stray tears that escaped. It was embarrassing once he settled, but the expression that he saw when he looked up sheepishly told him there was no reason to be.

Suddenly, he felt different. It was as though something had changed or shifted within him, but he had no idea what it was or what it meant.

But he didn’t pay it any mind, instead pushing himself to focus on what he was supposed to be doing: _relaxing and taking time off._

“Sorry… we can go now.”

Hank didn’t respond beyond a curt nod of his head before ushering Connor back to the garage with a firm press of his hand to the small of his back.

This time they both sat in the front of his car together.

It made him much happier than he thought it would. With Hank beside him relaying the directions to wherever it is they were going, everything felt… normal. Like it was a nice, fun road trip between two close friends. Not that he knew what that was actually like, but he really thought it was something like this.

The corners of his mouth twitched at the thought.

Going on a road trip with a friend was a cliché want he’d had for as long as he could remember. To just be free, careless, and to see new places that he’d never even dreamed of seeing before.

“Are you feeling better?” Hank asked as they reached a road that made it easy to converse freely on; it was a long stretch of highway that led to a part of the city he’d never been to before, but he trusted that the android knew where they were going, of course. “You look better.”

Connor kept his eyes straight ahead, taking a moment to reflect. There was no denying that he felt much better than he had in quite a while, but there was a lingering sense of unease that he’d grown used to having.

“I think so,” he replied, sighing softly. “It’s just that house that… that makes me feel awful. I don’t even know why, really.”

Hank hummed thoughtfully, leaning against the car window.

“I’ve been worried about you ever since I met you, Lieutenant.”

Blinking, he couldn’t stop himself from looking away from the road in order to observe the androids face in curiosity.

It didn’t seem like he was lying.

In fact, the look on his face was one of the most serious ones he’d seen. There wasn’t any doubt about the truth of the statement in the first place after all the months they’d spent together, but there was something about the way Hank said it that made him _feel_ something.

Plus, it made him wonder about how an android began to care about him, even back then. After their first meeting, he didn’t think they had any kind of connection or bond or anything that might trigger a reason behind genuine concern.

Hank didn’t even have to work with _him_ specifically. With how considerate Markus was, the android had been given the freedom of requesting to work with anyone at the office.

For some reason, he never did. Not even once. Instead, he chose to become Connor’s partner…

Thinking more about it, the signs became even more prominent. There really wasn’t much of a gap between their first meeting and the first time he was scolded for his unhealthy habits.

…Hank felt _worried_ , even then?

“You were worried…”

The android looked away, like he’d only just noticed what he confessed to. With a grunt of confirmation, he crossed his arms tightly over his chest.

“Yes. Worried.”

It was so surreal. Pinching himself, he let out a high-pitched whine as it was confirmed that yes, he was indeed awake and not at all imagining it.

“And… and now you’re trying to say that you don’t actually care about me? Since it’s not in your programming to feel anything…?”

It was a low blow and he knew it perfectly well.

Even though it’d probably start another argument and another wave of anxiety, he felt _excited_. If he could argue with an android, didn’t that just mean that there was something else there? Some kind of connection that went beyond his programming?

It proved him right. It dispelled his fears. It made him feel… worthy of something.

“I’m saying it because I’m programmed to. Not because I want to.”

“You’re-” he said, a heat building up within him. Grasping at straws for anything at all to say, he couldn’t even decide on how to proceed before he was interrupted.

“No.” Hank cut in firmly, narrowing his eyes. “I mean… I said those things because I’m programmed to not feel anything, but I think I actually do. I don’t want to talk about this, Lieutenant, if that’s okay with you.”

 _At least he admitted it,_  he tried to think in order to make himself feel better, but the admission was bittersweet. _But was it worth it when he looks so distressed?_

It felt like a half-victory even though it was something he’d been hoping to one day hear. The way that it happened felt wrong, guilt bubbling up within him for forcing his poor partner into a corner so suddenly.

For the time being, he wanted to respect Hank’s wish by not pushing the topic even further.

“You… you don’t have to call me Lieutenant all the time, Hank,” he said instead, changing the topic to one that would hopefully make them both feel much better. “Connor’s fine.”

Luckily for him, the tense air was completely vanquished like a great weight had been listed over both of their shoulders. All the android had to do was scoff and roll his eyes to let him know that no harm had been done, shaking his head all the while.

After such a roller coaster of emotions, he was definitely going to make sure he relaxed throughout the rest of their outing.

“Okay, Lieutenant Connor.”

Pouting, he let out an exaggerated sigh. For a moment, he wondered if it was a joke or if the other misunderstood what he meant.

Knowing Hank though, the android was most definitely being stubborn and teasing him.

“…I guess I’ll accept that at the moment. I’ll have you drop the ‘Lieutenant’ by the end of the day though, don’t worry.”

He didn’t have to look at the android beside him to know that he was smirking once again but he did anyway just to see it. If he had any doubts that there was a challenge underway, that look said it all.

“Sure, we’ll see,” Hank replied, a smugness evident in his voice. “Take the next right, we’re almost there.”

Looking back at their surroundings, he noticed that there were very few buildings in the immediate area. The ones that he did see looked to be small and abandoned, which just made him wonder exactly what kind of area he’d agreed to go to.

It was mostly grass as far as the eye could see, save for the roads and sidewalks for the drivers and pedestrians.

Confused, he went through his mental checklist of possible things they could be going to do. By this point, it was practically empty… the area didn’t seem to have much of anything going for it. All he could really do was wait until Hank told him they’d arrived.

“…We’re not going somewhere shady, are we?” He had to ask, a little bit or nervousness in his voice. “What is there to see all the way out here? Grass? A mugging?”

Hank just smirked more, letting the silence drag out.

“Well…” the android elongated his words purposely, mirth clearly present. “If it’s a mugging then at least the police will be around to stop it.”

Surprisingly, his mood didn’t change from the jest at all aside from a sudden urge to giggle stupidly.

“Your choice of words and the look you’re giving me makes me feel extremely nervous, Hank.”

“It’s okay,” he chuckled, smirk ever present. “Take a left here and park where you can.”

Humming, nothing could have prepared him for the complete shift in atmosphere outside. Despite the fact that he knew the android was joking, relief coursed through him and the urge to sink in his seat was very strong.

People seemed to be absolutely everywhere, littering the street in large groups.

Their destination?

A large, open space that had been filled with what looked to be a carnival at first glance. It wasn’t though, and he knew that the moment that he saw the large holographic sign for a _pet adoption fair_.

Surrounding the entire space was a holobarrier, blue with bright blue arrows pointing towards the designated entrance and exit. From what he could see there were both androids and humans working inside and at the entry.

“This is…” he muttered, unsure of how to feel about this revelation. “Why are we coming here?”

As he parked the car nearby, he wasn’t sure if he actually wanted to get out of it or not. Sure, the thought of walking around and looking at cute animals seemed fun but… he still felt like he should just be working.

Not being productive was so anxiety-inducing that he wasn’t even sure he could enjoy it at all, even with Hank by his side.

Did he even deserve to walk around an adoption fair to look at cute animals?

No, probably not.

Even though he knew that he’d done nothing to deserve it, was he still going to do it?

Yes, because Hank had already gotten out and made his way over to Connor’s door in order to make sure he didn’t get cold feet. The look on his face was that of a man on a mission, and a man on a mission let nothing get in his way.

“We’re going to look at animals, Lieutenant Connor. That’s usually what people do at pet adoption fairs.” Hank said bluntly, the amusement only noticeable because he knew what to look for. “Well… they also _adopt_ , but I’m not going to force you to actually spend money on a pet.”

Despite his words, that sounded like _exactly_ what the android planned to do.

There was no way that he’d be convinced to buy a pet anyway, not when he couldn’t trust himself at all. It’s the reason why he hadn’t done so sooner no matter how much he wanted to.

There was absolutely no way in the world.

Stuck in his thoughts, he found himself being directed by a very motivated android to the entry of the adoption fair. Two large androids stood dutifully on either side, giving them a friendly greeting as they approached.

Vaguely, he heard Hank say something to them before he could feel himself being scanned.

It didn’t bother him, but the way they were looking at him kind of reminded him of how Hank did when he was doing something he shouldn’t be doing. Before long, they were welcomed onto the ground and his wrist was held loosely as he was directed inside.

The sea of voices that they’d stepped into hit him suddenly, a variety of animal noises and excited conversations all mixing together to form a constant buzz.

No matter how hard he tried to separate them or discern at least some, he simply couldn’t. There was too much going on all at once and it wasn’t something that he was accustomed to. Not when the only conversations he heard were typically between Kara and Luther when she got bored.

It was all too overwhelming, yet it was exciting as well.

There were people everywhere. Generously sized cages housed animals and were littered in lines and sections depending on age and type. Pens were also scattered about and filled with animals freely playing and running about, children and adults alike happily throwing them toys to play with and trying to pat them all.

Everyone looked so happy and excited that he actually felt out of place. There was no way he could smile like they were, he’d sooner get embarrassed and leave completely.

It was so very out of his league that he was worried that he’d end up disappointing Hank. What did the android exactly hope to accomplish? He’d made it clear that he wanted to make sure he left with a companion of some sort…

“Hank…” he murmured as he was pulled along without a care in the world, the faintest of smiles twitching at the corners of his lips. “Hank, I don’t feel comfortable here. It’s too crowded and loud and… I don’t know.”

The loose grip around his wrist disappeared as they slowed to a stop, the android’s LED going yellow for the briefest of moments. He didn’t even have time to process the fact that it had happened before a serious face turned to look at him.

Determination was still present, but for some reason it felt different. Like it found a new purpose or reason for existing.

“What can I do to help you through it?” Hank asked, giving his undivided attention. “I’ll do anything that I can to provide support.”

Caught off guard, he let out a small whimper and started to rub his hands together as he thought about how to answer. Honestly, he hadn’t the faintest idea of where to begin.

Nobody had ever actually asked him about how they could help before. Usually they would just tell him to get over it or try to change the topic… even if they genuinely did want to help him, none had thought of asking his opinion before now.

Apparently, his silence had gone on a bit too long, judging by the way the android’s face went from serious to worried serious.

“If my LED was bothering you, I was just doing a quick scan on you to see if there were any immediate issues causing you to stress. Like the heat, or sickness. You’re fine though, so I determined that the best thing to do would be to ask you about it.”

Blinking in confusion, any response he might’ve had was completely lost at those words. Was it that obvious that seeing it turn yellow bothered him so much? It had been the catalyst to a lot of their arguments, so it only made sense that he’d make the connection sooner or later.

“I… I don’t know…?” It was a stupid response to all that had been said, but it was literally all that he could think of. It was as though his mind was blank, not providing him with any information at all. “I mean, I suppose it’s obvious that you LED has been making me panic a bit… but it’s not your fault.”

Finally, he was nervous enough to need to fidget with something that wasn’t one of his own body parts, he put his hand into his pocket to fumble with his coin.

“I can remove the LED if you want.”

“W-What…?” The reply had come so easily and carelessly like they were discussing the weather. Connor had no idea why he would suggest it, but he shook his head fervently. “That’s… no, I didn’t even think you could… I mean, Hank, I would… I would just like it if you stayed close to me, if that’s okay?”

His nervous babbling was likely not very convincing, but he did mean it.

The thought of Hank removing his LED was… weird, for sure, but he didn’t need to think about his opinion on it at all. And his opinion was that it wasn’t up to him to make a permanent decision like that.

All he really cared about was the android staying by his side for as long as he wanted to. He’d grown so attached that he already didn’t know how he’d survive without him.

“…Okay, Lieutenant.”

Any space that was between them was gone in an instant, the android moving close enough for them to touch but not quite. It made a noticeable difference right away, his shoulders drooping from their tense position and his defensive stance becoming more open.

“Thank you.”

Hank nodded, taking note of the changes.

“Is there anything else that I can do?”

For a moment, he wanted to ask if they could hold hands. That way they’d stay close together and he wouldn’t have to worry about being lost or something. There was still a ghostly feeling of Hank’s hand holding onto his wrist and he yearned for it back.

It was probably inappropriate, so he just kept that urge to himself and scratched the back on his neck, hand no longer in his pocket.

“Call me Connor?”

It wasn’t what he wanted to say, but he ignored the feeling of loss threatening to weigh down on him. It really wasn’t that big of a deal.

“Oh?” Hank chuckled, shaking his head. It still seemed like he was thinking about something, though. “As if. You’re not going to get me that easily.”

Sheepishly, he shrugged his shoulders and looked away, forcing his urges to disappear.

“It was worth a shot?”

Shaking his head even more, the android sighed a bit in exasperation before scanning their surroundings. The human like way he did it made Connor wonder if he really was a deviant.

“Just let me know if there’s anything else _reasonable_ that I can do, all right? And don’t try that shit again because it’s not going to work.”

Either way, their interaction was enough to put him in a position where he was neutral. Being close to the other was just enough to keep his anxieties at bay and the animals provided just enough of a distraction to lead his thoughts elsewhere.

Letting out a yawn, he lightly leaned against Hank’s side. Feeling emotions so strongly was draining him, and he’d just about had enough excitement to last him a long, long time.

From what he could see, most of the fair seemed to be filled with dogs of all breeds and sizes. Dogs were always one of his favourite animals so he wasn’t about to complain, a lazy smile on his face as he took in the environment.

They were so cute that it took all of his willpower to stop himself from taking on the challenge of patting as many of them as he possibly could.

During his attempt at self-control, the first thing that he allowed to get his attention was a corner filled with cats. Moving closer, he saw a litter of black and white kittens frolicking happily through the grass in a little pen, playing with some flowers and mouse toys.

“Kitty,” Connor whispered excitedly, his eyes lighting up as he took in the far too adorable sight. He just hoped it was low enough that nobody heard him. “So cute…”

A very selfish and impulsive part of him wanted to adopt them all immediately. How could he possibly avoid his home if he had five tiny kittens to take care of? He would love and cherish them like they were his own children.

It wasn’t long before he found himself shying away from the pen, however, since he noticed a gruff looking cat in a cage _staring_ at him like it wanted to _eat him_.

Needless to say, those large glowing cat eyes freaked him out enough to drive him away from the corner. As much as he liked cats and thought they were cute, that one seemed like it was ready to commit a murder.

“Can a cat eat a human, Hank?” Connor asked as he directed them elsewhere, his words coming out a bit too fast. “I swear that there was a cat there that wanted to eat me.”

Hank raised an eyebrow at him, looking like he wanted to scoff but somehow managing to hold his composure. Most likely because it was clear that he was genuinely concerned about a cat plotting his demise.

“Are you talking about _Mittens_?” A shit-eating grin was on his face as he said the cats _supposed_ name slowly, like he was talking to a child with an overactive imagination. “I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

“ _Mittens?_ ” He spluttered, his voice raising a pitch. “Are you telling me that big ginger cats name is Mittens? You’re joking, right?”

Hank shook his head, serious despite how amusing he seemed to find the conversation.

“I saw the cat staring at you so I decided to scan it for information. Her name is Mittens and her hobbies include fighting the other cats and knocking things over.”

Connor placed his hand on his chest, putting on the most theatrical display of emotion that he could muster up.

“I knew it… she’s pure evil. Never trust a cat named _Mittens_.”

Even though it was said so dramatically and clearly meant as a joke, he was genuinely scared of what that cat could do and he knew the other could tell. Even though he loved animals, that cat triggered his fight or flight instincts with that intense look in its eyes.

“Don’t talk too loud,” the android replied, nudging his arm a little as he let out a noise between a grunt and a chuckle. “You don’t want anyone to hear that there’s a police officer here who’s scared of a cat.”

With a small gasp of mock offence, he nudged the android back.

“I’m out of uniform, I can be as visibly paranoid as I want.”

The two of them moved away from the cat corner regardless, the android chuckling under his breath but a hint of concern in his eyes. A quiet contentment spread through him as they slowly walked to the opposite side of the fairground.

As per Hank’s request, he took his time in visiting the various dogs they walked past. Each and every one caught his attention, but without the request he probably would’ve ignored it.

The temptation that he’d had when they entered the fair could finally be acted upon. Visiting the cages lifted his spirits and made him forget about his sadness, the only thing on his mind was the softness of the dogs as he went around and patted them all.

Doing his best to give them all the same amount of attention and affection, there was a hefty task on his hands. It was well worth the effort and the more that they saw, the more excited he became.

Allowing himself to just relax was… strange and difficult, but it was becoming less and less of a chore.

It wasn’t until he was tackled by a dog in one of the pens that he really realised just how giddy he was. As he laid happily on the grass as it licked at his cheek and he squished its cute cheeks in his hands, he noticed just how badly he wanted to grin and laugh stupidly. Hank watched him with fondness and a silent satisfaction, standing by just in case his assistance was needed.

Suddenly, Connor was very aware of his feelings.

There was an uncontested happiness that filled his entire being for what felt like the very first time in his life. It was both pleasant and unnerving, its intensity and newness something that he wasn’t sure he could become accustomed to.

Then there was also the way that the android’s clear happiness made him feel like he was genuinely loved and cared for by someone. It was a completely foreign feeling, but it steadily built up in his chest, making him both nervous and excited.

It felt like his heart was going to burst from his chest, tears threatening to form at the corners of his eyes.

The golden retriever suddenly bounded off of him excitedly to examine the android, barking happily when Hank opened his palm to awkwardly pat it.

After seeing just how gentle the android looked, a thought suddenly occurred to him. Did Hank choose to go to a pet adoption fair just because he personally liked dogs? The gentle look on his usual gruff and stoic face said _yes_.

If outings like this made the android so happy, then he wouldn’t mind going out instead of overworking every now and then.

Once the dog became distracted by something else, a hand was extended to help him up.

“I found a puppy that I want you to see,” Hank said as he hoisted the human to his feet, his eyes looking towards one of the cages that was on its own. “After scanning it, I feel as though it has a lot in common with you.”

Curious, he tilted his head as he attempted to brush the grass off of his clothes.

He had no idea how a puppy could have something in common with him, but he wasn’t about to question it. If Hank said that was the case, then he’d just have to agree with it until he was proven otherwise.

But to think that a poor animal might have something in common with him… it made him sad and unsure about whether or not he actually wanted to see it.

Then he thought about how he would feel and how he _did_ feel. Just seeing that someone showed that they could care about him made him feel like he’d been given a bit of purpose. Getting to know Hank had helped him so much, so there was no harm in at least _looking._

“What a poor dog,” he said, his voice soft and morose. “I need to give it the love it deserves immediately.”

Scoffing, Hank took a loose hold of his wrist once again and led him over to the lonely cage with much more enthusiasm than intended.

It was refreshing to see the unmasked excitement.

Not sure what to expect but ever curious, he just allowed it to happen and pointedly ignored the heat that began pooling in his cheeks for reasons unknown.

Seeing as the cage was closer to the ground, he had to kneel down in order to get a proper look at what was inside the cage once they got there. Nothing could have prepared him for the rather large Saint Bernard puppy looked up at him and let out the cutest and tiniest bark that he’d ever heard in all his days on earth.

“Oh no,” he said, immediately pressing the palm of his hand on the large cage. The puppy licked his hand through the gaps to the best of its ability the moment it noticed what was going on. “Oh no, Hank, my heart…”

For some reason, he could instinctively tell why it might’ve reminded the android of him. There was a connection between them that he couldn’t deny, filled with a mutual understanding.

The puppy had no one and was isolated from potential friends. When they’d gotten there, it was curled up into a tight and defensive ball in the far corner of the cage so nobody would see it unless they were really _trying_ to.

“He’s cute, huh?” Hank said, also crouching down to be on the same level. “My scan indicates that he doesn’t have a name and hasn’t had an owner before. He’s four months old and has a timid personality, but with the right human he’ll come out of his shell in no time.”

A part of him tried to be more attentive but the desperate need to pat the dog properly made the words go through one ear and out of the other.

Little white paws scratching at the cage, the saint bernard looked up at him with the cutest dark brown eyes that shined with intrigue. It felt like he was falling in love as he stuck his fingers through the gaps, giggling as the puppy nipped at his fingers while he tried to poke its fluffy cheeks.

Never did he think he would become attached to an animal so quickly, but it didn’t surprise me. Who could deny such cuteness?

Far too distracted by the puppy, he didn’t notice when Hank rose to his feet and wandered away. Even if he’d noticed, the android would’ve returned before he had the willpower to tear his eyes away from it.

An unknown amount of time later, Hank returned with one of the android workers. The two of them stood by and watched him for a brief minute before they managed to catch his attention.

It made him startle, his hand snapping back as a light flushed adorned his face.

“Would you like me to bring the puppy out for you?” A feminine voice asked, a short haired android leaning down slightly and smiling at him. “It seems like he likes you.”

Incoherently babbling, Connor had no idea what to say at all. The workers LED turned yellow as they continued to smile, patiently waiting for him to get himself together. For some reason, he just couldn’t bring himself to say _yes_ like he wanted to.

“Yeah, he’d like that,” Hank said for him, giving him a strange look. “And while we have you, how much is it to adopt?”

“A-Adopt!?” He finally managed to say an actual word, his eyes pleading as he looked over at Hank. “We don’t need to know how much because I…”

“Calm down,” the android interrupted, his tone very clearly annoyed. “I’m just curious.”

Face feeling like it was about to implode, he let out a small whimper and pressed the palms of his hands to his cheeks. The coolness of them felt nice, helping him to distract himself enough to relax a bit.

No more words were spoken between the two androids. Instead, the worker extended their arm to the other and they began to share information.

Connor looked away.

Although he knew they were just transferring data, it felt… weird to look at. Like it was something he wasn’t meant to see.

So he turned to the puppy, the corner of his mouth twitching upward as it barked at him. It then rubbed up against the cage, sitting right up again it so they were as close as they could be while it was in there.

“Excuse me,” the worker eventually said, gently nudging him away from the cage. “I’ll bring him out for you now.”

Feeling anxious for who knows what reason, he obliged and gave them space to open it. Before long, the puppy was in their arms with its tail wagging excitedly and being offered to him.

It took him a few seconds and an nudge from Hank’s elbow to encourage him to actually move. And just like he feared, the moment that puppy was in his arms he didn’t want to put it down ever again.

Barking again, it licked his chin excitedly and nuzzled up to him. Its big paws rested on each of his shoulders, so he hugged it and held it close. He felt like he wanted to cry.

Connor turned to Hank just in time to see both his and the workers LEDs blinking for a few seconds. Thinking nothing of it, he pouted and walked over to them with the puppy cradled to his chest and watery eyes.

“He’s too cute, Hank,” he whined, his fingers running through the soft fur. Turning, he adjusted his position so the android could see it face. “Look at his face. How can you not love this face?”

“I’m not programmed to love,” Hank replied almost instantly, an eyebrow raised as if he was daring the human to argue with him over it. Nonetheless, the android raised his hand to pat the dogs head. “...I do agree, though.”

“...I wouldn’t have expected any other answer, really,” he sighed, nuzzling the puppy and lowering his voice. “It’s okay, Hank loves you too. He’s just a big meanie.”

The worker android put their hands in front of them, watching the two with interest. After a moment they looked to the cage, then at Hank, and then finally at Connor.

“Are you interested in the puppy, sir?” They asked, glancing at Hank for a second. “Or would you just like to spend some time with it? It’s okay if you do, I can set up a small pen for it so it doesn’t wander off.”

Connor visibly gulped.

Honestly, he didn’t know what to say. All he knew was that there was this feeling welling up within him that made him want to love and protect the puppy for as long as he could. On the other hand, he just… didn’t know if he was capable.

What would he do if he was home more often? If it was just to take care of a dog, would it serve to give him enough purpose to not hate himself?

He wouldn’t forgive himself if he adopted a pet only to lose to himself and leave it all alone.

...Hank seemed to like it, though. If it weren’t for Hank’s interest, he would have never gone out and been able to pat so many dogs. And even though the android was hiding his feelings, he knew that there was something going on that he couldn’t explain.

“I… um,” he mumbled, holding the dog a little tighter. “I still need to think about it… I mean, I’m just going to talk to Hank and then I’ll give you an answer. Is that okay?”

The worker simply nodded before moving a small distance away to give them privacy.

Connor remained silent, pointedly avoiding eye contact. He didn’t know where to begin with talking about how he was feeling and what his thoughts were.

“What’s there to talk about?” Hank asked, a little pushy but not too much as he put a hand on the others shoulder. “You told me you weren’t prepared for an actual pet. No need to push yourself.”

But he wasn’t pushing himself. No, he really, _really_ wanted to adopt the damn dog and love it forever.

He just didn’t know how to admit it. Talking about his own feelings had always been quite a feat, it just wasn’t something he paid any mind to. After all the protesting he’d done, it felt so strange to have his opinion turned around so easily.

Saying it out loud would make it too real. It was just another one of those cases where the words refused to leave his lips in fear of making him see a truth he wasn’t prepared for.

Instead, he leaned against Hank.

With how big the puppy was, it was difficult to do, but he managed. Placing his forehead on the android’s chest, he pressed his side against the other so that the puppy wouldn’t be squished between them.

Once he gathered his thoughts, he looked up at the android through his eyelashes, a faint blush on his cheeks.

“Hank…” he said, insecurity evident in his tone. “I think I… I want to adopt him. I don’t want to put him down. I feel like I’ll cry if I do, he’s just…” he trailed off, the puppy letting out a tiny yelp as its tail wagged madly, “...I love him.”

Eyes wide, Hank slowly raised his hands and rested them on Connor’s shoulders. Unsure of what to do, he just left them there and ignored what seemed to be an overloading of his thirium pump.

“Then adopt him,” he said like it was obvious and easy to come to terms with. “It doesn’t have… have to be so difficult.”

But it was _very_ difficult, something that both of them knew all too well.

“A pet is such a big commitment, Hank. I can barely take care of myself, let alone someone else. What will I do if I’m... not okay?”

The android rubbed his shoulders and the top of his arms. Slowly moving one of his hands higher, his fingers trailed up the side of the humans neck and stopped to cup his cheek.

“Lieutenant,” he started, lifting the others head up so they could make eye contact. “You also have me. Whenever you’re feeling like you aren’t okay, you just need to call me... You don’t have to be alone.”

Connor’s face was on fire, his heart racing so much that he felt like he’d just run a marathon. A small whimper was heard despite him trying to hold it back.

It made him too happy. Did he deserve to be treated with such kindness?

“I… I don’t want to be a burden on you just because I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to adopt a dog…”

Hank rubbed his cheek, shaking his head slightly.

“I want to do it…” he grumbled, but he held eye contact just to get his point across. “And I want you to adopt the damn dog. I’ll help you. Hell, I’ll take care of both of you...” Then he couldn’t help himself, moving the hand on Connor’s cheek to his hair so he could pat it and the other to pat the dog. “As long as you’re happy, I don’t care.”

Before he knew it, Connor was crying. It had been a long time since he cried, all things considered, but it was the first time it was out of overwhelming happiness.

“H-Hank,” he whimpered, leaning into the android’s touch. “I probably seem so stupid, crying over something like this,” he laughed nervously, sniffling. “You just… it makes me so happy. Being with you. Having your support...”

The android grunted, looking away as what looked like a blue tint briefly appeared on his cheeks. Still, he wiped the tears away with his thumb.

“...Don’t mention it.”

Cuddling the puppy, he turned towards the worker android. “I’m going to adopt him after all. How much is it?”

Their LED cycled yellow for a few seconds, smiling. “No need to worry about that, sir. I already gave your android all of the information and it has processed the transaction. All you need to do now is give it a name. Would you like to register one now?”

Looking at Hank in disbelief, the android let out a groan and shook his head. Then he remembered them sharing information and him not thinking anything of it and felt incredibly stupid.

But he couldn’t even be mad about it, really. He’d just have to repay the android some other way later… and scold him for making purchases for him without his approval.

“Really?” All he could do was laugh, finding great amusement in the annoyance Hank had towards the worker. He probably wanted to keep it a secret, but of course they were going to tell him about it. “All right then, Hank. Since I wouldn’t be getting this bundle of fluff if it weren’t for you, why don’t you name him?”

Connor smiled brightly, looking up at Hank expectantly. It was the first time he’d smiled so genuinely in a long time and he couldn’t stop himself even if he wanted to.

“... _Fuck_ …” Hank replied, covering his face in what seemed to be embarrassment. “Shit. Fuck. What have I done? You’re such a prick. I hate you.”

Connor blinked in surprise, tilting his head. It… definitely wasn’t the reaction he was expecting, but he didn’t really know what to say or do in response to it. Was the android that flustered by such a simple question?

“I don’t think those are good names, Hank. Maybe try thinking a little harder?” Was what he decided on, grin plastered on his face. “Who taught you to speak like that, anyway?”

Hank gave him a _look_ , long and seemingly searching for something. Even though his LED didn’t change colours, he felt like he was being analysed. It didn’t bother him at all. Not even when it took more than a few minutes for the android to actually say anything.

“Sumo.” Hank said.

No further context was provided.

“Um?” Connor raised an eyebrow, unsure of how to respond to such a vague comment. “Who’s Sumo? The person that taught you to swear?”

“The puppy,” he groaned, rubbing his hand down his face. “The name. Sumo.”

“Oh!” Perking up, he turned the puppy around so he could look at its face. Poking its nose, he grinned. “What do you think, little guy? Do you like the name Sumo?” It barked happily, licking Connor’s face. “Looks like that’s a yes to me. Sumo it is!”

Answering any other questions that the worker had and finalising the adoption properly, an hour later the two of them left the fairground with a large cage for Sumo and many, many dog necessities.

If Connor was going to have a pet - which he was, since he just adopted one, of course - then he was going to spoil it as much as he possibly could. With many toys, the best pet food, a comfortable doggy bed and a nice collar and leash combo, the back seat and boot of his car were full and there was no room for anything else.

And he was _happy_.

The smile on his face was permanent, never faltering even as he struggled to carry everything even with the help of two androids.

Hank remained quiet until they were both alone, sitting in the front of his car with Sumo once again resting in his cage. It didn’t even occur to him that the android was quiet until he let out a frustrated noise, capturing his attention.

“...Are you okay, Hank?”

The android was still, pointedly looking anywhere that wasn’t at Connor. Not like that was a difficult thing to do when he needed to turn his head to look at him, but when he was addressed he’d usually look.

Connor was patient. Hand in his pocket, he fumbled with his coin as much as he could without taking it out, waiting for a response.

“I hate to say it, but I think you were right,” he said after who knows how long, still not turning to face the human. “About me. Ever since I met you, I’ve been feeling things that aren’t a part of my programming. They’re… something else. Something more.”

Gulping, he nodded before realising that he wasn’t even being looked at. With the topic that was being spoken about, he was too afraid to open his mouth to speak though.

Thankfully, the android didn’t seem to want him to speak yet anyway.

“I feel something for you that I shouldn’t,” Hank continued, voice uncharacteristically low. “When you asked me to name that damn dog, I just… felt like I opened my eyes and saw things I’d never seen before. The reasons why I keep going out of my way for you even though I don’t have to. I was forcing myself to think that it was to stop you from getting in the way of my mission, but… it’s not. I’m just doing it because I want to. Because the thought of seeing you smile like you are right now meant more to me then some objective by CyberLife ever would.”

Connor’s heart felt like it was definitely going to burst out of his chest, pounding so hard that he could _hear_ it. It shouldn’t have surprised him as much as it did, but the thought of the android admitting so much hadn’t even occurred to him.

Because of that, he was at a loss for words. There was no way he couldn’t have been prepared for such an emotional confession, one that told him he was right and had no need to doubt the other all this time. It also brought to the surface feelings that he had no idea were there, much greater than mere fondness and affection for a friend.

“Don’t make me say all of that mushy shit again, you hear me?” Hank said suddenly, his voice raising to its normal volume but filled with unmasked emotion. “So there you have it, my true feelings handed to you on a silver platter. Don’t forget it. Actually, maybe forget it, I can’t believe you made me say all of that…”

Taking a deep breath, he blinked furiously as his eyes grew wet again. The emotions were so overwhelming that he’d look like a mess once again, but he couldn’t bring himself to actually care.

Not when he felt so happy for the first time in his life and it was all because of Hank and the fact that he cared.

“Hank…” he tried his best to speak without his voice cracking or his words slurring, but he wasn’t too sure if he succeeded. “Thank you for everything… you don’t know how much it means to me.”

With a dismissive wave, the android looked out of the window. “Don’t mention it. Just don’t stop smiling, even if your face looks weird when you do.”

Laughing a little hysterically, he smiled even more and reached over to take Hank’s hand into his. Lacing their fingers together, the action was enough to make the other finally turn his head to look down at their hands and then at Connor’s face.

“Hank, I…” he murmured, clearing his throat. _I love you_ was what he wanted to say, but he wasn’t sure if he should. Especially since he didn’t want it to come out so suddenly. “I appreciate you a lot. You don’t know how much this all means to me, you… you saved me.”

Hank squeezed his hand and this time Connor _knew_ that the blue tinge to his cheeks was a blush. It made him feel even happier, despite how impossible that seemed.

“Hank, are you blushing?” Connor taunted, his goofy grin turning to a lazy smirk. “I didn’t even know androids _could_ blush. It’s _adorable._ Really brings out the colour of your eyes.”

The android pulled his hand away, letting out an extra loud groan of annoyance as he moved as close to the car door as he possibly could.

“...Shut up, Connor. I take it all back. You’re insufferable and your smile is weird, stop looking at me like that.”

“You dropped the ‘Lieutenant’!” He exclaimed, striking a victory pose. “One for Connor, zero for Hank. Better luck next time.”

“I’m not talking to you anymore.”

“Aw,” he giggled, attempting to nudge the other playfully. “Sore loser. It’s okay, I won’t tell Kara.”

The two of them travelled back to his house in a comfortable silence, Sumo occasionally breaking it with soft sleepy barks and a small thump from his paws hitting the cage.

Hank stayed the night, helping him set everything up and sending him to bed when he wouldn’t stop playing with Sumo and it got too late.

 

~

 

Now, Connor couldn’t even imagine a life without Hank and Sumo. Slowly but surely, the android had begun to stay at his house more and more until he was always there without fail and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

His house was no longer the bleak abyss he had once saw it as, especially since Hank had taken it upon himself to make it more lively. Every time Connor looked at something cute that he obviously liked, it mysteriously appeared in his house a few days later until there were knick-knacks on every possible flat surface they could be placed on.

The anxiety he had was still present, of course, but with Hank and Sumo around he felt like everything would be okay. No matter how hard it felt, they were always there for him without fail.

Hank especially. The android held his hand when he panicked and had learnt all of the ways to help him through it effectively. Whenever he noticed Connor looking sad, he’d do something that made him feel like he was stupid for ever allowing himself to fall to depression. And he’d also taken a liking to eccentric bright coloured shirts, something which for some reason made him smile every time he saw them.

Connor was wearing one of said shirts and lazing on the couch when Hank walked in, something in his hand as he murmured a greeting.

Sumo bounded over to the door excitedly, jumping around Hank’s feet and Connor followed suit, happily making his way over and giving the android a hug. It hadn’t been that long since they last saw each other, but he always missed him.

“Welcome home, Hank!” he said, huge smile on his face as he tried to take a look at what he was holding. “What’s that? Don’t tell me you bought another one of those figurines I was looking at. Where are you getting the money for those, anyway?”

Hank gave him a one armed hug back, shaking his head before leaning down to pat Sumo. “I wasn’t gone for that long, was I?” He teased, also patting Connor on the head. “It’s a secret. Go away.”

Pouting, he whined and tried to take it off of him. Upon closer inspection, it was a rectangular shape and not much bigger than an A4 document.

But the android ignored him, stepping away once Sumo got distracted by something else and ran off. Without another word, he disappeared into the kitchen and left Connor standing at the front door.

With a great huff, the human returned to his seat and smiled at Sumo jumped up onto the couch to sit in his lap. The puppy was seemingly oblivious to his owners inner turmoil, resting his head on Connor’s lap and sticking his tongue out.

The three of them fit together so well, like they were meant to be together. Although Hank had clearly broken his programming, Markus had turned a blind eye to it and welcomed him just as easily as he had the first time they’d met. In fact, he seemed even happier to have an android on the force, working with them. It was almost like he’d expected it from the very beginning, even if that was impossible.

It really did make him happy. Never had he ever felt so comfortable somewhere in his life, but now it was hard to even imagine the feelings he’d felt so strongly before.

“Okay,” Hank said, walking out into the living room once again. “I’ll make you something to eat soon, but first…” scratching the back of his neck, he came to take a seat beside the human. “You can look at this now, I guess.”

Blinking, Connor took the offered rectangular object as Sumo moved in order to sit on both of their laps at the same time. It surprised him that the android was letting him have it after his reaction earlier, so he hesitated slightly as he opened the box it was in.

Hank avoided eye contact as he revealed the contents.

The first thing that he saw was the back of a brown photo frame. As most frames were, it was blank and devoid of design. It had a little message on it, ‘ _To the biggest pain in my ass, remember that you are not alone and that you can smile like the world isn’t an awful place even if it feels like it is.’_

Connor laughed and shook his head, nudging the android beside him playfully. A light blush also began to spread on his face from the kind words that followed.

Turning it over, it was a photo of the three of them.

Kara had taken it a few days after they adopted Sumo. After her initial shock that they got such a huge puppy, she demanded to visit with Luther and Alice so they could have a little celebration.

Typically, Connor would have been against it, but… he wasn’t. The fact that she was so happy for him was flattering, so he wanted to befriend her properly and be able to do the same for her. She was part of why he was given happiness, at least, with how she’d been plotting with Hank for who knew how long.

Connor and Hank were looking at each other in the picture, both of them with light blushes and fond smiles. Connor was holding Sumo like a baby, the large mass of fur happily resting comfortably.

It made his face burn up so quick that he felt legitimate concern for himself. In that picture, the way that they looked at each other was… like they didn’t care about anyone but each other. Like they were… a family.

His eyes started to water as he took Hank’s hand, not sure what to say.

Connor had always hated photos of himself. He never wanted to see a picture with his face on it on his wall or on anyone's, but this one would have to be the exception.

“Thank you, Hank,” he said, voice full of emotion. The android squeezed his hand, his free hand coming up to caress his cheek and coerce him to make eye contact. “I, um… I don’t really know what to say.”

“I’m glad you like it,” he replied, smiling fondly once again. Just like in the photo. “I know you don’t like pictures of yourself but… Kara showed me and… well, I liked it. A lot.”

Connor nodded, quickly rubbing his eyes. The more time they spent together, the more he couldn’t deny the feelings he had. The love that he had for the one person who never gave up on him. Who moved in with him somehow and raised a dog together as though it were a child.

“I love it,” he murmured, then debated over saying anything more. It felt like a good a time as any to be honest, for once. Leaning closer, he put the photo on the other side of the couch and placed his hands on the androids shoulders. “I need to tell you something.”

Taking a deep breath, he looked at the android’s blue eyes. Then, before he could convince himself otherwise, he closed the distance between them and pressed their lips together softly.

“I love _you_ ,” he said after a few moments, forehead resting on the others. “More than you know, Hank. I love you so much. Thank you for everything.”

Hank let out a scoff, then both of his hands came up to cup his cheeks. Pressing their lips together again, he initiated a much more heated kiss than Connor had, causing Sumo to jump down from how much they were disruption his relaxation.

When he android ran his tongue over his lips, he whimpered and shivered in pleasure. It was far too quick when it ended, the other with a big smile.

“I love you too, prick. Don’t go making me feel emotions all suddenly like that, _geez_ ,” Hank replied with a face heavily shaded in blue, making Connor giggle like he was drunk. “If you’re going to kiss me, at least do it right. None of that tight-lipped pressing of lips. I want you to _kiss_ me. I’d say my kiss brings our score to 10-9 in my favour.”

Connor smirked, the challenge accepted as he took hold of the material of Hank’s bright floral print shirt tightly and kissed him once again.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time officially writing for D:BH so any critique, comments and kudos would be much appreciated! If you've made it this far, I hope you enjoyed it.


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